Alarmed, Michael immediately left for Mayfair, where they laid the whole at Hadley’s feet. Isolde’s father had wasted no time in calling upon Gilbert House, Rafe in tow. There, the men learned from Allie that Kendall hadn’t returned home from Kew Gardens either.
Given the long history of bad blood between their families, Hadley was convinced Kendall had kidnapped Isolde in an act of petty cruelty.
Allie insisted that her twin might have his faults, but he would hardly behave so viciously. There had to be some other explanation. Rafe was in agreement.
But Hadley refused to back down. With Allie at his heels, he called upon the director of the Metropolitan Police force, reporting that the Duke of Kendall had kidnapped Lady Isolde Langston against her will.
From there, events spiraled. Lord Alderton heard of the accusation and immediately joined in the hunt, intent on uncovering the truth.
Hadley had wanted every train and road in England searched.
Rafe and Alderton insisted they begin with Sir William Hooker and the environs surrounding Kew, just in case there had been an accident.
And thus . . . Isolde and Kendall had been discovered.
“Will ye call Kendall out in a duel then, Papa?” Mariah asked. Isolde disliked the quiver of excitement in her sister’s voice.
“A duel?” Hadley paused his pacing. “Bah! As if I would stoop tae such a low. Kendall is no gentleman and deserves no such concession from myself. Nae, I’ll content myself with raiding his coffers and paupering his dukedom, as I did to his father.”
A wee frown dented Isolde’s brow. She had never heard of this. Her father had waged economic war against Old Kendall? Did the current duke know?
Somehow, Isolde suspected he did.
No wonder the duke was so hellbent on annihilating her father. Isolde was merely a pawn caught between their battling wills.
“Regardless if Isolde accepts Kendall,” James said, returning to his original argument, “surely the duke must offer for her if he wishes tae salvage anything of his own reputation.”
“I hope Kendall does offer for her,” Hadley snorted. “It will give me tremendous satisfaction tae toss the duke out my front door, preferably with my boot!”
“I’ll gladly assist ye in that,” Mac agreed, a particularly threatening expression on his handsome face.
Her menfolk would find themselves gaoled or worse if no one intervened.
Isolde exchanged a glance with her mother.
A quiet sorrow rested in Lady Hadley’s gray eyes, as if her heart were breaking. As if she already mourned the outcome of this scandal.
Her mother’s expression said what Isolde already knew.
There was only one solution that would see Alderton appeased and Catriona married to her love. Only one solution that would rectify the misfortune Isolde’s own involvement with Stephen Jarvis had brought upon them all.
Only one way to ensure that her brothers’ and Mariah’s futuremarriage prospects were not tainted. That her father’s legacy shone bright and unspoiled.
If the Duke of Kendall proposed, Isolde would have to accept him.
Kendall hadn’t setout to get drunk.
Truly, he hadn’t.
Usually, he modulated his drink, refusing to indulge in the loss of control that drunkenness could bring.
But if the events of any day would compel him to find solace in a bottle . . .
Moreover, he needed something to block the memory of holding Lady Isolde in his arms. But no matter how much he drank, he could feel her yet pressed against his side, the scent of lemons filling his nostrils.
Damn her.
Damnhimfor being so arrogant.
